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San Antonio Whataburger makes a 10-year-old’s birthday wish come true

San Antonio Whataburger makes a 10-year-old’s birthday wish come true

This Thursday, July 9, 2015 photo shows a Whataburger restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. The iconic Texas restaurant chain will not allow the open carrying of guns on its properties, taking a stand against a new law legalizing the practice. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A San Antonio 10-year-old recently got his biggest birthday wish when a local Whataburger agreed to host a party for him.

Harry, the son of “She's Crafty Podcast” host Catherine Contreas, only wanted two things for his first year of double digits: A trip to San Antonio Bricks and Mini Figs for some Legos, and a birthday party at his favorite Whataburger.

“I remember in the 80's sitting at a long table at McDonald's with a million kids with birthday hats...I think I've seen some parties at Chick-Fil-A...but, Whataburger? I'm almost positive I've never seen that,” Contreas wrote in a post on her “She’s Crafty” website.

Contreas was hoping the Whataburger party would work out, she wrote, because Harry has high-functioning autism, and she knew how important his birthday would be to him.

“If you have kids, you know how important birthdays are. If you have kids with autism, you know how important every moment is,” Contreas’s blog post begins.

She continued:

“Now, if you know anything about a kid like Harry, you know that life is very black and white. ‘It's my birthday. You said, on my birthday, I get to choose my party. I want to have my party at Whataburger.’ And that was it. In his mind, that's what was going to happen. And if it didn't happen, he wouldn't throw a fit, he wouldn't make our lives miserable...but, he wouldn't understand. Because in his black and white world, things go according to plan. What you say matters. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone lived by those rules? Because, even though Harry is unfiltered and blunt, at least he says what he means and does what he says.”

So, she got to work on reaching out to Whataburger through social media. All she wanted was a small space, just large enough to sit with Harry and sing “Happy Birthday” to him.

Whataburger obliged, and then some.

“They decorated for him, they got him a cake....they sang Happy Birthday to him,” Contreas wrote. “They made sure every moment of Harry's birthday was magically orange and fun. They gave him the birthday he was picturing inside of his amazing little mind....

“Do you know why this is important? Because, kids like Harry don't often get recognized or celebrated. Kids like Harry are the ones trying to figure out where they fit in.”